The Park & Playground

Features

Marla Dorrel Park consists of 2-acre, accessible Kids Together Playground with picnic shelter; an open
field and concrete slab for play; a basketball court and parking facilities - all on a 16-acre parcel of
land. A paved trail, part of Cary's extensive system of greenways, connects Marla Dorrel Park to
MacDonald Woods Park, crossing US1 & 64 via a pedestrian bridge. Marla Dorrel Park and Kids Together
Playground are owned and maintained by the Town of Cary. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, every
day.

Picnic Shelter Rental

The picnic shelter at KTP (capacity 40) is available for rental through the Town of Cary.
Rental is based on an hourly rate; there is a 2-hour minimum. To find out more or make your reservation,
contact any of the Community Centers in Cary, including the Herbert C. Young Community Center,
919-460-4965.

Three play zones - Preschool Play, School Age Discovery & School Age Active Play

Climbing structures with graduated levels of
difficulty

Wheelchair accessible Sand Table

Preschool River of Sand

Sand Scoopers

BBQ Grill

Fenced Preschool Play Zone

Accessible chair swings

Infant swings

Playhouses

Climbable Dragon Sculpture (named KATAL)

Shaded picnic area

Picnic shelter

Universal Design to Provide Accessibility for Special Needs

Applying the principles of Universal Design, Kids Together Playground assures ease of
mobility for everyone. Winding paths and ramps are integrated into the design; chair swings are
side-by-side with traditional-style swings; varied surfacing on walkways provides textural cues; and
lush landscaping appeals to the senses of sight, touch and smell. Restroom facilities include adult-size
changing tables and extra room for wheelchairs and strollers.

Combining Play with the Natural Environment

Kids Together Playground could be described as "a playground in a garden" or "a garden in a
playground". The extensive use of landscaping features - trees, plants and rolling hills - makes Kids
Together Playground unique and inviting for all generations of visitors at all times of the year. Plants
at KTP have been specially chosen to be child-friendly, with a stimulating variety of colors, textures
and fragrances. Plants provide natural materials - leaves, sticks, seeds and flowers - that can be used
in creative and imaginative play. (Yes! We want and expect children to interact with the plants!) As you
enjoy the plantings at Kids Together Playground, say a "thank you" to our designers: Little & Little
Landscape Architects in Raleigh, and Robin Moore, Director of the Natural Learning Initiative and
Professor of Landscape Architecture PhD Program at NC State University. And don't forget Cary's Public
Works team that keeps everything at KTP in tiptop shape! To find out more about our design team and the
Natural Learning Initiative, see our Links.

Art for Play

As Kids Together raised funds for playground construction, another community group, Cary
Visual Art, joined the effort by commissioning and funding artwork for Kids Together Playground. This
added dimension was the perfect complement and brought even greater opportunities for kids to explore
creative and imaginative play. By expressing their interest and commitment during the design phase, Cary
Visual Art was able to work with our design team to reserve spaces for functional art. When you visit
KTP, you'll see the results of CVA's outstanding commitment. To learn more about Cary Visual Art, see
our Links.

KATAL - by William
Moore, Pittsboro, NC

This multi-piece sculpture invites children of all ages to climb aboard. There's an
especially cozy spot in the curl of KATAL's tail! CVA held a contest for children to name the
sculpture and KATAL was born, as an acronym for Kids Are Together At Last. Many children identify
KTP as "the Dragon Park". This wonderful sculpture also inspired the Kids Together mascot.

Oracle Benches and
Dinosaur Bench -

by Jim Gallucci, Greensboro,
NC

The oracle bench invites interactive fun - whisper into one trumpet-shaped tube, and
your friend on the other end can hear you! It's designed so wheelchair-users can play, too. The
bright purple dinosaur bench adds color and a resting place near the toddler swings.

Botanical Benches -

by Rodney Carroll, Baltimore,
MD

Giant, aluminum leaves decorate these four benches, each one accurately representing
the leaves of a different tree - gingko, sassafras, redbud and tulip poplar.